2. Stupid Otouto
A week after Toriko's adventures with inebriation, Komatsu was still mortified. He knew he was being silly really, that it was just a stupid drunken...thing, but it kept preying on his mind, jumping out of his thoughts at him when he least expected it. He was sure that that was what was making him feel so edgy around Toriko lately. It seemed like every time he turned around, his partner was staring at him, and the only explanation for it was his own imagination playing tricks on him.
Today's outing with Toriko and Coco had been a blessing though. They'd gotten along fine all the way to Gourmet Town, and had parted ways halfway through the day, Komatsu to visit Setsuno-san and the others to explore a few new restaurants that had sprung up. Setsuno had been as enlightening and curious a conversational partner as ever, and was good enough to sample a few of Komatsu's latest creations, offering him a taste of one of her famous recipes and a little friendly critique to boot. Thus, by early evening, Komatsu was feeling quite peaceful and happy.
It was startling how much the ring of his phone made him jump.
"Komatsu, it's me," came Toriko's voice. "You've gotta get over here, this is fantastic!"
"What's fantastic, Toriko-san?"
"It's Coco, he-" Toriko's next words were garbled with laughter and it took him a few seconds to compose himself. "Just come over here. You'll love it!" He finished, and seemed to be about to hang up.
"Wait, Toriko-san! Where are you?"
"Oh! Right! Bar Heavy Lodge. You remember how to get there?"
"Yes, I'll be there soon."
"Cool. Bye!"
"Toriko wants you to meet him?" Setsuno asked from where she was putting plates away into a cabinet. Komatsu nodded and slid the last few utensils into the basin of hot water.
"He said that Coco is doing something fantastic. I don't dare wonder what it might be," he admitted.
Setsuno smirked and shook her head. It occurred to Komatsu to ask what she was thinking, but he knew he'd only get a cryptic answer at best.
He finished the washing up and thanked Setsuno for her time, then got a taxi at the rank on the corner and went over to the bar. It was much as it had been the last time he'd seen the place, a little shabby perhaps, but somehow very solid, looking almost like it had grown there rather than been built. He pushed the door open and, as he should have expected, got a very different reception to that he'd received last time. With no Toriko by his side, the stares directed at him were variously suspicious and mocking, making him cringe a little. Maybe he should just leave Toriko and Coco to it...
"Hey Komatsu, over here!" Toriko's voice bellowed, and Komatsu spotted him, sitting at the bar, and set off across the crowded room with relief. There was a large crowd gathered around a table in the centre of the room, though he couldn't see who sat at it. Come to think of it, he couldn't see Coco either.
He hopped up onto a bar stool next to his partner, who was halfway through a burger, a platter loaded down with the same at his elbow.
"Hey Komatsu, here, did the old lady feed you?" he asked, pushing the platter towards him.
"A little, yes, but thanks," Komatsu replied, taking a burger. He'd been so thrilled to be eating Setsuno's cooking that he hadn't realised how little he'd actually eaten, and the burger was very good. Toriko called Morijii over and ordered some drinks for them. Komatsu glanced around, still seeing no sign of Coco.
"Toriko-san, what exactly was it that Coco-san did?" he asked.
Toriko crammed the remaining half of a burger into his mouth, then pointed across the room towards the crowd. Squinting at the faces of the gathered people, Komatsu searched for a familiar face, not understanding until he caught sight of a glinting earring and realised that Coco was one of the people at the table. And opposite him...
"Is that Zombie-san?" he asked, astonished.
"Yep," Toriko replied, grinning. "He decided that Coco was showing off, and challenged him to a drinking competition. I don't think he realised who he put himself up against."
Komatsu nodded dazedly, recalling how long it had taken Zombie to realise who Toriko was.
"Want to take a closer look?" Toriko asked.
"Okay."
They headed towards the crowd and Toriko bulled his way through the throng of people, pushing Komatsu ahead of him, until they were at the front of the gathering, a couple of feet away from the table. Coco and Zombie each had a large bottle of something with dense foreign text on the label, along with a single shot glass. As one, they lifted the bottles and filled the glasses, then knocked back the shots. But while Zombie wheezed and scowled as he swallowed the liquor, Coco drank his down easily, cool as a cucumber. His face was composed and faintly smiling, while Zombie's was flushed red and tense. Komatsu had to admit that Toriko had been right, this was pretty interesting to watch.
"Toriko-san, can Coco resist alcohol the way he does with poisons?" Komatsu asked.
"Well, I never asked him, but maybe. It doesn't seem to be having much affect on him now."
Komatsu looked around the crowd and saw money changing hands here and there as people took sides and bickered amongst themselves. By the tension in the group, it seemed that things had been going on for some time, and by the look of Zombie, it would probably be over soon. Toriko seemed to think the same, if the way he kept cackling was any indication.
Sure enough, after a few more shots, Zombie blinked very hard, made a small noise like a deflating air mattress, and unceremoniously slid out of his seat. A roar went up from the crowd, of elation in some quarters and annoyance in others as people began hurriedly calling bets and collecting winnings. Zombie's two followers rushed over, all 'Zonge-sama, Zonge-sama', while Coco coolly rose from his seat and accepted various congratulations, evidently pleased enough to allow several people to slap his shoulders, before he turned towards the bar, gathering Toriko and Komatsu with him as he went by.
Morijii saw him reaching for his wallet as they walked over and waved him off. "You don't need to pay for that booze, Coco. My cut of the bets'll cover it and then some."
Coco smiled sleepily at him, and waited contentedly by the door with Komatsu as Toriko settled the tab for his food and chatted with a couple of acquaintances.
"How do you feel, Coco-san?" Komatsu asked.
"Oh, you know..." Coco replied vaguely, and Komatsu felt a little tug of worry.
Toriko finished up at the bar and joined them as they left, he and Coco walking on either side of Komatsu as they made their way along the bustling late-night streets of the city. The train station was only twenty minutes walk away and the evening was pleasantly warm, the tang of early summer in the air. His companions peaceably quiet, it occurred to Komatsu to ask the question he'd been thinking about.
"Coco-san, can you resist alcohol the same way as poisons?" Toriko glanced at him as he spoke but didn't seem bothered by the fact that he asked.
"Well, not really. I can hold off the affects of it, but only for so long. Then they catch up with me."
"Really? Well, that's pretty useful, I guess. How long does it take to...Coco-san?"
Coco coughed, staggered, then slumped sideways, bumping into Komatsu and almost falling on him, before Toriko managed to grab his shoulders and hold him up.
"'Bout now..." Coco slurred, a dizzy smile appearing on his face as his eyelids fluttered, and Toriko burst out laughing.
"I haven't seen you like this in years!" he crowed happily, and leant down to grab the barely coherent Coco around the legs.
"Wait, Toriko-san! Don't put him over your shoulder!" Komatsu cried.
Toriko stopped, letting Coco slump against him. "Why?"
"He'd hate it, there're so many people around, somebody would be sure to take a picture and he'd hate that more. Surely there's a more dignified way to get him there?"
Toriko considered it and Komatsu could practically hear his brain working. A few people on the street had snapped photos of Coco already today and it had visibly annoyed him. Toriko seemed to be unsure though.
"Also, he might be sick down your back," Komatsu added, and that sealed the deal.
They managed to get Coco's arm across Toriko's shoulders and Toriko, with one arm around Coco's torso, was able to hold him more or less on his feet, so it looked like they were walking normally, if a little unsteadily. Komatsu ran to the train station ahead of them and got their tickets, then helped Toriko manhandle Coco into the train and onto a seat. The carriage was nearly empty at this time of night and they got seats that faced each other so they could all sit together, Komatsu next to Coco and Toriko taking up as much of the opposite seat as he could.
Coco dopily draped his arm, after a few tries, around Komatsu and sighed.
"Are you okay Coco-san?" Komatsu asked.
Coco sighed again. "Drinking always makes me feel...lonely," he admitted, a sadness in his voice that led Komatsu to reach up and take hold of the hand dangling over his shoulder. "It's nice to be out with you two, but it makes me feel a little sad too. I'd like a partner, I think..."
"You'll find somebody," Toriko told him softly.
"Maybe." He seemed to be thinking hard for a few minutes. "Do you have brothers and sisters Komatsu?"
"No."
Coco sighed again. "It's nice to have them. It's nice to have memories of my little brothers when we were kids. My three otouto. They were so cute, even Toriko. I'm not quite sure where that went..."
Toriko laughed a little.
"You know, I'm only a little older than the others, but when you're kids, that means a lot more. For a while there they all looked up to me, and it was so good to be able to help take care of them. I remember when we were children and Zebra was already so grumpy. He always wanted whatever everybody else had, just because it was theirs. He always stole Sunny's things because he got most upset...and Sunny was like...everything was an argument or a negotiation with him, everything. Getting up in the morning, going to bed at night, eating, bathing... I remember I used to brush his hair for him and he'd just put his head in my lap and fall asleep...They were such pains, but still...nice memories..."
He was smiling now, a warm expression on his usually cool face, his eyes looking somewhere very far away.
"What was Toriko-san like?" Komatsu asked, glancing between Coco and his partner, wondering if he'd overstepped a line. Toriko seemed to be at ease though.
Coco smiled even wider. "He was adorable when he was a little toddler. He'd go crawling about on all fours, making weird noises at people...like a puppy." Komatsu giggled and tried to hide it behind his hand. "Then he got a bit bigger and...wow...he was so dumb!"
Coco started laughing then, shaking Komatsu with the arm still around him. Tears were squeezing out the corners of his eyes and his cheeks were flushing red.
"He...he did such stupid things! He couldn't...he never...you wouldn't believe...Ha! My stupid otouto!" Coco collapsed into gales of laughter, the unprecedented sight drawing weird looks from the few other people in the train carriage and making Komatsu laugh out loud, no matter how hard he tried to keep it in.
He glanced over at Toriko and saw that he looked annoyed. A little jolt of worry shot through Komatsu, though he couldn't quite stop himself from continuing to laugh. Then Toriko's glowering face turned to him and...his eyes widened, softened. Komatsu knew his partner pretty well, but he couldn't tell what was going on in his thoughts, not now.
"Stupid otouto," Coco murmured again, and Toriko's eyes were still fixed quietly on Komatsu's when his de facto big brother flopped sideways and fell asleep, his cheek resting on the top of Komatsu's head.